KOTA KINABALU, Jan 22 — A Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) component party, in urging for the 13 new state constituency seats to be endorsed in Parliament as soon as possible, expressed confidence that its candidates can win anywhere they contest.

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) acting president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said the party is keen to have the new seats tabled in Parliament and put through the due process so that seat negotiations within the BN can proceed.

“Some senior members of BN may feel there is some arguments about seats, but I think once the prime minister sits down with us, Musa and everybody will follow along,” he said, referring to chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman.

“But don’t take all the seats, be magnanimous. In the Barisan spirit, we are only strong when everyone has a role to play. All the seats are winnable and we can deliver, we will work hard.”

“PBS as a multiracial party, you can put us anywhere, and we can stand against any opposition,” Ongkili insisted.

He was speaking to reporters after attending the Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd open day at a mall here, today.

Ongkili said that the party could take on the Opposition in any seat, whether they were dominated by the ethnic Chinese, non-Muslim Bumiputera, or Muslims.

However, whether the 13 new seats will be in play during the next election is uncertain as the seats, although passed by the state assembly in August 2016 and amended in the State constitution, has yet to be heard in Parliament.

Ongkili said there might be some legal implications if elections were to be held soon, but was confident it would be sorted out before the election was called.

“Legal opinions are that if Parliament does not table the new seats soon, then Sabah will have to withdraw the changes to the constitution,” Ongkili said.

On the elections, he said the party was looking to defend all its 13 seats that it had contested in the 2013 elections with a small margin to negotiate within the party for strategic purposes.

He also said he was considering going back to his hometown to contest the Tambunan seat but must first ensure that his Kota Marudu constituency was “safe”.

“I’ll be more than happy to go back to my hometown. But I must make sure that the people are served well and the seat is safe. There will be a right time,” he said.